Okay, even I must admit that 'The Key' and it's powers can be quite ridiculous. That or at least what it is tied to is ridiculous. No matter what I think of, 'The Key' is connected to it. Memories, Dreams, anything...'The Key' can connect itself to anything. I don't know how it works but it's the same with the Light and the Darkness. Perhaps this is just an aftereffect of the weapon. That or it could do more than any other weapon could ever do.
-Starswirl, Report 55
Two certain ponies were now sitting in a large decorated room. The walls were covered with paintings showing several different regions of Equestria. The largest picture depicted a white covered wasteland with a shining light in the background while others showed grasslands, forests and mountains. Several plants were placed in each corner and a bright shining light floated above the duo, illuminating the room. Then, the larger of the two ponies pulled out a small object, causing the other to question her.
"Trixie does not understand. How will a small card help Trixie conquer Trixie's inner darkness?" the filly asked as her head tilted sideways from the sight. The large unicorn in front of her merely shined a small smile as she put the card onto Trixie's hoof.
"You'll understand in a few minutes my little filly." Radiant Hope said as she patted the pony's head, a small smile on her face. "That card is very special, you'll see."
"But-"
Radiant Hope put her hoof in Trixie's mouth as she shook her head. "Stop worrying. Just sit still and let me explain, alright?"
"O-o-okay..." Trixie stuttered as she shook in her seat. Another pat on her head helped slow down the shaking, but not much.
"Alright Trixie, let's begin." Radiant Hope clapped her hooves. A second later, the floor between the ponies opened up and a small stand with an orb on top appeared. "First off, this orb will help me explain how this will work." Her horn shined as an aura covered the sphere. A few seconds later, the orb grew in size and began to show a small image inside.
"That's...a keyblade?" Trixie asked as she stared at the image. Inside the orb was a keyblade that had a purple colored handle, a shining light blue guard and long purple shaft. The teeth of the blade looked like pointed crystals and shined a bright pinkish blue color.
"Correct. To be exact, it's what my keyblade looked like when I could wield one a thousand years ago."
"Wow. It's...beautiful."
"I know. I was very proud of it." Radiant said, a small tear trying to form in her eyes. A small sigh escaped her nostrils as the image changed to mirror version of herself wielding the keyblade. "That...was what I once was."
"Really? Trixie thinks you look really...happy." she said as she scratched her chin at the sight. But...she doesn't look much younger than she is now. And she's not a alicorn. How is that possible?
"I was. A thousand years ago, I was...truly happy to wield that weapon. However..." Radiant stared at the floor for a second as the orb changed again, this time a dark shadow covered the image. "That is another tale for another day. I was merely demonstrating what this orb can do."
"Oh...okay." Trixie said with a gulp, looking at the darkness covering the orb. "So uh...what does Trixie do now?"
"Well...I showed you what I used to look like because back then I knew a pony just like you. He too could not control the darkness in his heart."
"Um-"
Radiant flashed her hoof, quickly shutting Trixie up. "Stop. I don't want you to speak until I'm finished." Radiant's eyes became downtrodden as she began her tale. "A thousand years ago, this pony was also tempted by the darkness." A small image of a gray stallion appeared with a jet black mane. A long red horn protruded out of his forehead as a grey keyblade with a long red shaft settled into his mouth, the teeth of the blade showing purple colored crystals, similar to Hope's old keyblade. A big grin covered his face as he looked at Trixie with glowing eyes. Trixie was quickly reminded of how her eyes looked like that once before.
"Like you, the Darkness began to eat away at his heart." Radiant said as the orb began to show a dark aura cover the stallion like a deep dark engulfing shadow. "The madness and power within the darkness took hold of him and began to mold him into something else. For the longest time, I tried everything I could to help him. It was there that I began to research techniques to dispel darkness from ponies."
"Dispel? Do you mean-"
"Yes. Don't interrupt. Now, I tried everything I could but... I could not stop his descent." Trixie could feel the fear of defeat creep over her as those words left her mouth. "No matter what I did, the Darkness would not let him go. It continued to pull and prick at him, constantly battering and beating his heart." Radiant looked up and saw Trixie shivering at the news. The orb's image then changed, showing the pony change into a shadowy monster. "Eventually, it took him over."
"T-t-then what happened to him?" Trixie squeaked.
Before Radiant could answer, the image changed again. The shadow slowly turned back into the unicorn. "The Darkness swallowed him whole. Every last bit of his heart was gone, tied to the Darkness."
"Oh..." Trixie shrunk into her seat, her ears folding from the news as she stared at the floor.
"But...I was able to change his fate."
The statement drifted into Trixie's brain, her ears twitching from the very words. She looked back up with a hopeful look on her face. "Wha-what did you just say?"
"I changed his fate." Radiant said as she showed a small smile, her eyes obviously reminiscing. "I was able to make him resist the darkness and find a new path."
"Really?!" Trixie's eyes shined at the prospect. "You mean...you figured out a way to get rid of his darkness?!"
Radiant's smile faded as she shook her head. "No little pony. The only thing I was able to do was make sure he didn't become a Heartless. But..." Radiant looked back at the orb as the image of the stallion disappeared. "It wasn't permanent. Instead...it only delayed the inevitable."
"The inevitable? You don't mean..."
Radiant put her hoof over Trixie's mouth and shined another smile. "The card will show you what happens next."
"It will?"
"Yes." The floor opened again as it took the orb and stand away. "That card will show you what you're looking for."
Meanwhile...
CLANG!
A resounding clash sounded out, the noise echoed through the back yard. The sounds came from two ponies. One was a colt, his blade unsheathed as it swung into the other. The other was a filly whose mouth shined a bright light that blocked the sword. That is, till the colt's sword swung again.
CLANG!
"Ack!" Twilight said as the blade clashed with hers, causing her to step back. She wasn't ready for the blow. In fact, she wasn't ready for anything that was currently happening. Just a few minutes ago, she had walked in to the garden, ready to greet the colt that was sitting there in the grass. The back yard had one long granite walkway in-between two grassy field where the colt had sat in the left one, meditating. However, as soon as she spoke up to say hi, she found herself on the receiving end of an attack.
CLANG!
The sound happened again as the two blades sparked from the clash. This time, a certain purple pony fell to the ground, her eyes closing as her body flew through the air from the sudden blow. The blade shook in her hoof as she let out a scream of pain. The other pony merely cricked his neck as he began to approach the filly again. The floor shined tiny sparks as his sword dragged on the solid granite tiles. Twilight looked up and saw the emotionless look on the colt's face as he got closer and closer.
"Kupo kupo!" Spike exclaimed as he rushed up to Twilight hugged her side. Twilight slightly pushed him away as she struggled to get back up.
"Run Spike, I have a feeling this is gonna get ugly." she whispered as she motioned the moogle to flee. He slowly nodded as he drifted away with his flapping leather wings. Twilight looked back at the colt, her eyes a cross between angry and scared. "Why are you doing this?! Why did you just suddenly attack me?!"
The colt slowly kept moving, his eyes fully piercing the shaking filly. His mouth slowly opened, "You are a keybearer. As such, I must test your abilities."
"So you attack me out of the blue?! Are you crazy?!"
"No. I am a solider. That is all."
"But..." Twilight gasped before the colt's walk turned into a sprint. Before she knew it, he was in front of her, his right hoof swinging his sharp blade into her side. Twilight's reflexes kicked in and quickly blocked the blade, but only for a second. As the two strands of metal and steel clashed, the colt quickly swung again, knocking the keyblade out of Twilight's hooves. A small "meep!" escaped her breath as she fell over again, shocked by the sudden counter. The colt just stood over her, his blade at her throat.
"Pathetic. Is this really the keybearer Master Hope told me about? Are you really worthy of that weapon?" the colt said as he glared at her, fiddling with his still dangling blade.
As those words entered Twilight's ears, a small urge spiked in her brain. She grit her teeth as her fear filled face changed. Did he just say what I think he said? Did he just... Her mind began to remember how proud Celestia was of her over summoning the keyblade. Twilight was so happy that she could make her mentor, the one she looked up to the most, so happy. I...I am worthy of the keyblade! Princess Celestia said so!
The colt's eyebrow arched as the a beam of light shined in Twilight's mouth, her blade returning to her. "Hmm? It can do that?"
"And this." Twilight replied as a sudden surge of heat could be felt around the two ponies. The colt quickly hopped back, only to see two fireballs swirl around Twilight for a second.
"What the...did you just summon fire magic with that?"
"Yes. I did." Twilight said as she stood up, her eyes filled with determination. "And you're going to take that insult back. I'm not pathetic."
"I see." the colt shined a cocky smile. "I like the fire in your eyes right now. Alright...I'll entertain you for now." he laughed as he twirled his sword, his grin widening. "The name's Flash Sentry, what's yours?"
"Twilight Sparkle."
"Twilight Sparkle, eh? Not a bad name." Flash patted his shoulder with his weapon as his other hoof grabbed another object on his back. It was a circular shield with a large emblem of the sun on it's center. "Alright, I'll take you on. You ready?"
"Um..." Twilight gulped, her body shaking. "I uh..."
"Something wrong?"
"No..." Twilight shook her head. Except the part that I don't know how to fight with a sword! Ugh...I thought I was here to study how to use the keyblade, not full on fighting. And on the first day! Where's a book when I need one...
"Good. If you impress me, I'll help train you in the ways of the sword." Flash put himself in a fighting stance, his shield ready to defend from any magic attack. "Let's begin. I want to see how skilled you really are, magic and everything!"
"Er..." Twilight gulped as she tried to put herself in a defensive stance. Uh-oh. Why did I have to get so riled up from that insult?! Why can't I just study about this instead?! Her mind raced as she gulped on last time. "This isn't gonna be easy, is it?"
"Nope." Flash cricked his neck again as he spread his wings. His grin grew just a little as his feathers began to flap. Twilight could tell he was read to charge into her. She braced herself as he opened his mouth one more time. "Now, it's showtime! Show me what you got 'keybearer'!"
Meanwhile...
"How far away is the Neoshadow Master?" Starlight asked as she wiped her forehead with a towel, her daily training done for the day.
"Not far. The Heartless will soon arrive at that pathetic little castle." The Master scoffed as the pony laid back in it's chair. "Soon it will face the keybearer."
"And if it fails?"
"It'll be fine. Even if it does, it won't really matter." The Master said as it poured itself a drink. "In the end, the darkness will win even if she does survive. Besides, she could be useful if she survives the Heartless."
"True." Starlight replied as she looked across the room. On the other side, another cloaked pony slowly appeared. "Servant?"
"Hello Starlight." The Servant said with a slight cough. The pony turned it's attention to The Master with a small grin. "I am here with a report Master."
"Go ahead."
"The four your apprentice brought have been...converted. Three of them in particular easily fell to the darkness."
"And the fourth?"
"The one called Night Glider, my Master. She is a Pegasus with a bit more...will than the others." The Servant shook it's cloak as several Heartless began to shift around the floor under the Servant's hooves. "Thankfully, after seeing her friends so easily succumb to the darkness, her heart was easy to break."
"And they haven't turned into Heartless?" Starlight asked, surprised at the Servant's quick work.
"No. They are completely under my control."
"Good." The Master said as it lifted itself from it's throne. "Prepare the portals. I want them sent out as soon as possible."
The Servant bowed, a small grin on the pony's face. "As you wish Master. They will spread darkness to all worlds if need be." The Servant then left the room, leaving the other two with big grins on their faces as well.
"Good. Now..." The Master then flinched, as if the pony felt a shiver down it's spine. It's body fell over as the pony rubbed it's forehead in distress.
"Master? Are you alright?" Starlight immediately asked as she watched the Master slightly fall over.
"I'm fine. Just...surprised."
"Surprised?"
"Yes...I just felt a bunch of darkness being destroyed. A group of Heartless to be exact."
"What do you mean? Was it the keybearer?"
"No..." the Master turned to it's apprentice with a scowl on it's face. "It means there are outsiders in Equestria."
Starlight gasped at the statement. "You don't mean...beings from other worlds do you?"
"Maybe..." The Master rubbed it's chin as a thought went through the pony's head. "I have always kept the Heartless's existence a secret. That is, till a new keybearer appeared. Then I didn't have a choice but to reveal them, I had to know if this light wielder is dangerous or not. However..."
"Some were actually destroyed? No normal magic can defeat them, you know. Only somepony that was taught how to fight the Heartless can properly take them on." Starlight replied, gritting her teeth. "Does that mean somepony is on to us?"
"Not quite..." The Master said as it stood there for a second before turning to Starlight with a devilish grin. "But perhaps I should have you take a look at our new off world visitors."